Why Couldn't David Build the Beit HaMikdash?

Introduction

Request Rejected

Shemuel II 7 shares how soon after David became king over all of Israel, he tells Natan that he wants to build a house for Hashem. Though the prophet originally agrees, Hashem rejects the plan. Hashem then proceeds to review how He appointed David as king and helped him vanquish his enemies, ending with a promise that David will merit a dynasty¹ and that his son will build the Beit HaMikdash. Somewhat surprisingly, though, nowhere in this prophecy does Hashem explicitly reveal why He did not want David to build the Mikdash.  Why was David's request turned down?

David's Thoughts

David speaks of his desire to build the Mikdash on two other occasions in Tanakh. When preparing Shelomo to take over the throne, David tells him:²

EN/HEע/E

(ז) וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִיד לִשְׁלֹמֹה [בְּנִי] (בנו) אֲנִי הָיָה עִם לְבָבִי לִבְנוֹת בַּיִת לְשֵׁם י"י אֱלֹהָי. (ח) וַיְהִי עָלַי דְּבַר י"י לֵאמֹר דָּם לָרֹב שָׁפַכְתָּ וּמִלְחָמוֹת גְּדֹלוֹת עָשִׂיתָ לֹא תִבְנֶה בַיִת לִשְׁמִי כִּי דָּמִים רַבִּים שָׁפַכְתָּ אַרְצָה לְפָנָי. (ט) הִנֵּה בֵן נוֹלָד לָךְ הוּא יִהְיֶה אִישׁ מְנוּחָה וַהֲנִיחוֹתִי לוֹ מִכׇּל אוֹיְבָיו מִסָּבִיב כִּי שְׁלֹמֹה יִהְיֶה שְׁמוֹ וְשָׁלוֹם וָשֶׁקֶט אֶתֵּן עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּיָמָיו. (י) הוּא יִבְנֶה בַיִת לִשְׁמִי וְהוּא יִהְיֶה לִּי לְבֵן וַאֲנִי לוֹ לְאָב וַהֲכִינוֹתִי כִּסֵּא מַלְכוּתוֹ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד עוֹלָם.

(7) And David said to Solomon: 'My son, as for me, it was in my heart to build a house unto the name of the Lord my God. (8) But the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars; thou shalt not build a house unto My name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in My sight. (9) Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. (10) He shall build a house for My name; and he shall be to Me for a son, and I will be to him for a father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.

A few chapters later,³ he similarly tells the people:

EN/HEע/E

וְהָאֱלֹהִים אָמַר לִי לֹא תִבְנֶה בַיִת לִשְׁמִי כִּי אִישׁ מִלְחָמוֹת אַתָּה וְדָמִים שָׁפָכְתָּ.

But God said unto me: Thou shalt not build a house for My name, because thou art a man of war, and hast shed blood.

In each case, David points to both the many wars that he fought and the blood that he spilled as being the reasons why he was not allowed to build the Mikdash.  What is the relationship between these two factors?  Are they really one and the same thing, or are they distinct reasons (one referring to legitimate battles and the other to the shedding of innocent blood)?  What blood is being referred to?  Why is fighting battles problematic?  Finally, though David gives these explanations in Hashem's name, nowhere in Tanakh do we see Hashem making these points.  When did Hashem share this information with David?

Shelomo's Explanation

In Melakhim I 5, Shelomo approaches Chiram for assistance in building the Beit HaMikdash. He tells him how his father had wished to build the Temple but could not do so due to "the many wars which surrounded him".  How does this explanation match those given by David?  Why does Shelomo not mention David's spilling of blood?  In addition, Shelomo's wording "לֹא יָכֹל לִבְנוֹת בַּיִת לְשֵׁם" makes it sound as if David was unable to build the Temple, not that he was prohibited from building it.⁴  How should this be reconciled with the verses cited above?

"Rest from Enemies"

Devarim 12 speaks of the place which Hashem will choose to serve as the future site of all sacrificial worship:

EN/HEע/E

(י) וַעֲבַרְתֶּם אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן וִישַׁבְתֶּם בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר י"י אֱלֹהֵיכֶם מַנְחִיל אֶתְכֶם וְהֵנִיחַ לָכֶם מִכׇּל אֹיְבֵיכֶם מִסָּבִיב וִישַׁבְתֶּם בֶּטַח. (יא) וְהָיָה הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר י"י אֱלֹהֵיכֶם בּוֹ לְשַׁכֵּן שְׁמוֹ שָׁם שָׁמָּה תָבִיאוּ אֵת כׇּל אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם עוֹלֹתֵיכֶם וְזִבְחֵיכֶם מַעְשְׂרֹתֵיכֶם וּתְרֻמַת יֶדְכֶם וְכֹל מִבְחַר נִדְרֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר תִּדְּרוּ לַי"י.

(10) But when ye go over the Jordan, and dwell in the land which the Lord your God causeth you to inherit, and He giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety; (11) then it shall come to pass that the place which the Lord your God shall choose to cause His name to dwell there, thither shall ye bring all that I command you: your burnt-offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the Lord.

From these verses it appears that one of the preconditions for building a Mikdash is that the nation be at rest from her enemies. How might these verses shed light on the discussion above?  Was there peace by the time David asked to build the Beit HaMikdash?  While the statements regarding David being a man of war might suggest that stability and security had not yet been attained, the opening of Shemuel II 7, "וַי"י הֵנִיחַ לוֹ מִסָּבִיב מִכׇּל אֹיְבָיו", implies the exact opposite!⁵  Regardless, does a lack of security prohibit the building or simply remove the active obligation to do so?

¹ The chapter refers to this dynasty as a "בַּיִת".  The word serves a keyword throughout the chapter, appearing fifteen times in the unit. David's desire to build Hashem a house is intricately connected to Hashem's promise to build him one in turn.

² See Divrei HaYamim I 22:7-10.

³ See Divrei HaYamim I 28:2-3.

⁴ When David explained to Shelomo why he could not build the Mikdash, he presented Hashem as saying "לֹא תִבְנֶה בַיִת לִשְׁמִי", not "לא תוכל לבנות".

⁵ Already in Chapter 8 we read a description of many more battles fought by David, supporting the former possibility that the nation was not yet at peace.  This, though, simply begs the question of why Chapter 7 opens with a declaration that peace had been achieved.